


Base of Operations

by Merfilly



Series: To Build A Future [7]
Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Character Death Fix, Fix-It, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-29
Updated: 2011-09-29
Packaged: 2017-10-24 03:36:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/258516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Decepticons are leaving Earth's system at last, but what will they find now?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Base of Operations

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Canonical Hatchling use
> 
> 2\. Novel ending in play here, rather than the movie DotM's.

"I believe it is ready," Astrotrain said with a vague sniff of disdain for dealing with a lifeless transport hauler. That the _Nemesis_ was larger than any Cybertronian ever, save the mythical city-formers of ancient legend, did not impress Astrotrain. Neither did the fact it did have a rudimentary intelligence in its systems. Astrotrain looked at it and saw something that was less than even a drone.

That he had also not been impressed to learn there was a brood of scrapping hatchlings just nearing their first re-frame was another sticking point. He had little use for the chittering, scrabbling monsters, finding them to be abominations. He would never forgive Megatron or Optimus Prime for the loss of the Allspark which had forced such a hideous return to long-lost reproduction. Far better to frame a spark with full capabilities programmed into the frame, Astrotrain believed. Even if one started with the mid-development framing, adding on as time went by, it was still better than these creatures of instinct and curiosity.

"You're certain you can provide enough of a field to break the subspace warp limitations?" Thundercracker asked, still skeptical on that part. He knew how much energy it took for Skywarp to warp himself. He had doubts on Astrotrain being able to project a big enough field for their entire vessel to slip through, given how much more massive the _Nemesis_ was in comparison to the transporter.

"As long as I have a bay to return to once I make the field, it will be done, Thundercracker," Astrotrain told him in a firm, almost challenging voice. "A bay that is devoid of those parasites, I will remind you."

Thundercracker bristled, both for the tone and the irritable dismissal of their future. "You do your part, and I'll be certain you get the rewards you deserve!"

The Air Commander strode out on an angry heel clicking stride, wondering just when the slag he had begun to sound like Starscream in his handling of the others. He had every intention of getting Astrotrain aboard and then doing away with any supposed promise to keep the hatchlings away. If one could imprint on the transport before re-framing, their army could only improve. He made his way toward the command bridge, irritable and wings flexing in agitation as he did, knowing deep in his spark that once they settled at Cybertron, the challenges would just start all over.

If he didn't have Skywarp, who was coded down to the smallest wire to be a Decepticon, Thundercracker wasn't certain he'd stay. Certainly he wouldn't go to the Autobots, but there were plenty of other, small outposts of their kind. There was Lithone, and a few other planets where the natives were sensibly mechanoid. But he did have Skywarp, dangerous glitch that his mate could be, and that was enough to make him stay despite Megatron's insanities.

`~`~`~`~`

Starscream felt the warp field beginning just beyond the skin of the ship, and it started to shear at his edges. For the first time in a very long time, the being that had ruled the Decepticons for millions of years, albeit in Megatron's name, felt fear. He had plans! He was not going to lose his way, just because Megatron had discovered a way to cut off the time it would take to return to Cybertron!

Desperation, much like necessity, led to discovery. The hatchling he had carefully been monitoring, guiding, and nurturing into his footsteps was too small to support his collective consciousness. However, others aboard _Nemesis_ had known the touch of his energies, were familiar enough to his undying spark for him to anchor with. And as they were all on the command bridge now, given that Megatron had taken to keeping Scion close much of the time, Starscream had his choice.

Thundercracker appeared to be a roiling ball of fury, and thus distracted from the ongoing countdown to full warp. Skywarp was flitting from station to station, studying what was basically his own function turned to such a grand scale. Megatron…

The ruler of all Cybertron, now that Prime was officially in exile on that nastily infested rock, was watching the forward view screen in visceral anticipation. That he had Scion clutching to a perch on his shoulder, along the better side of his helm, was a sight that made Starscream chuckle to himself.

"Oh you have no idea," Starscream crooned, before choosing Thundercracker to inhabit. The other Seeker was far too distracted to notice the rerouting of power and the use of secondary systems right now.

`~`~`~`~`

For a moment, Megatron had thought he heard Starscream's voice, but that was far from possible. Instead, Scion was chirping in time with the countdown to full warp integrity, displaying a keen intelligence as it 'counted' in binary in time with the computer. Megatron lifted taloned fingers up to reward the small thing with scratching caresses along its head, getting a nip at first, and then a push into the touch from his ward.

The doors opened, admitting Soundwave. Megatron took in the lack of physical damage, but did not inquire how his reintegration to the surviving symbionts went. He knew Scorponok was still listlessly contained in a forward bay, so Soundwave had not had time to tackle that particular aspect of his desires. Personally, Megatron was convinced the symbiont would reject Soundwave without severe recoding, given the long association with the rotor operative that had been Scorponok's original master.

//Thundercracker in Starscream's place. Skywarp filling in where Shockwave might have been. A Soundwave who is very much set to oppose me, even if I pretend to accept his acquiescence to me,// Megatron catalogued, optics remaining fixated on the growing energy disturbance enveloping the ship. //And every single one of them will be forced to accept my supremacy when I show them all what I have burned in my processors!//

Cybertron would thrive, and all those who needed the feel of battle, both of his own and of Prime's, would see to establishing the new Cybertronian Empire.

The warp fully engaged the entire ship, Astrotrain now safely in his bay at the rear of the vessel to complete the puncture of space and time. With a slight lurch as all inertial dampeners were thrown off line, the ship jumped, destination known and desired by all aboard.

The space ahead stabilized, and the screen was filled with Cybertron's form…

"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Megatron's roar was the first to break the silence on the bridge, as the planet was there, a dark, almost molten mass on one side, twisted and broken towers on the other. Soundwave flicked over the various communication lines, but he already knew; the satellites were gone so how could there be dialogue?

"Cybertron…it's dead!" Skywarp gasped, his processor too slow to give him a shred of self-protection in this moment of shock. Fortunately for him, Megatron had only optics for the planet, lost in this blow to his grand dreams.

"Theory: the partial movement and rapid displacement torqued planetary faults to a point of rupture," Soundwave said, stunned on a level he had not thought feasible.

After a long, painful silence, Megatron's hand on the hatchling shifted, flicking at Skywarp. "The moons are still present. Make an orbit around the larger of the pair. We will evaluate from there."

Order given, Megatron strode out of the bridge, carrying his ward…and hastily flanked by Starscream's spirit as it disentangled from Thundercracker.


End file.
